Aiko Melendez on being the Queen of Memes

As they say “publicity, whether good or bad–is still publicity.” And a lot of celebrities will do whatever they can to get that extra mileage.

But what if the publicity you are getting is making a lot of people laugh, even though the character you are portraying is one of the nastiest villains on primetime TV?

For Aiko Melendez, who plays Emilia in the hit drama “WildFlower,”she finds her trending memes very flattering.

“I find them flattering, even though some of them are aimed at bashing me,” Aiko told media in a recent lunch meet organized by Asian Artists Agency a talent and booking company.

Aiko’s Emilia Ardiente-Torillo, is the conniving and attention-seeking archnemesis of lead character Ivy Aguas (played by Maja Salvador).

“Emilia’s reactions are often big and exaggerated, that’s why people like toying with her. I even have some of the memes saved in my phone,” Aiko said showing us some of the photos.

“The one where the cast members are pointing guns at each other and asking: ‘Who farted?’ and the one with her supposedly asking: ‘Nag-deo ka ba? Ang baho eh!’” are among her favorites.

“Grabe yung effort na ginagawa nila to make these meme’s and I think it just shows na people are watching and are interested in the show, and that they appreciate Emilia.

Aiko said she is having the time of her life portraying Emilia. “I wanted to put a different twist to portraying a kontrabida. Emilia is a villain you will hate, but, at the same time, laugh at. I also want people to pity her because, if you trace her backstory, her father and husband never really loved her. Kaya ganun ang nangyari sa kanya.

Aiko only has good words for fellow actress Maja Salvador even if they often have physical confrontations and Maja already injured her eye. “I think we’re soulmates, when it comes to acting, because we can read each other’s minds with just one look. I have high regard for Maja—she’s always ready with her lines, and is even conscious of the colors of both our nails for continuity’s sake. She’s amazing!”

As to the eye gouging incident, Aiko shared “Maja was supposed to smear the cake I was holding on my face. We were both wearing high-heeled shoes, and we slipped because of the icing on the floor, and she hit me by accident.”

Aiko was brought to the hospital, where doctors said she sustained a blood clot. She added that the injury was only a dot away from her cornea, which, if damaged, could cause her to go blind.

“We still got to finish taping the scene. I guess it’s because of adrenaline, but I didn’t feel pain until Wendell saw the redness in my eye,” When Maja learned about it she cried pa nga because she felt guilty–pero accidents happen kaya now we have this joke na kapag may confrontation scene dapat may nakastand by na na ambulance.

Watch our interview with Aiko as she talks about the bad habits of some of the new stars, on being an acting coach and her dream project with her son.